2022 Indiana General Assembly Halftime Report

Dan Helrigel

We’ve officially reached the half-way point in the 2022 Indiana General Assembly, and AARP Indiana’s Legislative Team and staff are in the thick of the action at the Indiana Statehouse during this year’s short legislative session.

Here is a quick breakdown of some of the bills we’ve worked on so far.

HB 1306 – Housing Task Force

This house bill sets up a task force to examine housing and housing shortages in the state. While AARP Indiana is glad to see legislation that will look at the housing challenges facing Hoosiers, we’re concerned about a current lack of consumer representation as part of the membership on the task force.  We think the task force will be strengthened if it is more inclusive and less reliant on developers.

SB 352 – Supervised Consumer Loans

The lending industry strikes back. This piece of legislation would authorize lenders to issue new consumer loan products that charge an interest rate of 36%, that when combined with finance charges and fees, could rise to nearly 300% in some instances. The bill also does not require reporting to credit bureaus. This means that consumers who somehow manage to pay off one of these debt traps will be unable to make a positive impact on their individual credit scores. There are no guardrails to protect the consumer. AARP Indiana has long fought against predatory lending practices, and we won’t let up until this bill is defeated. It has passed the Indiana Senate and is awaiting a hearing in the Indiana House of Representatives.

SB 369 – Marion County Public Transit Corporation

SB 369 was the latest attempt at hampering mass transit expansion in our state’s capital city. It would have prohibited dedicated bus lanes on a route that will stretch from the far-eastside of Indy to the Indianapolis International Airport. Such a prohibition would have jeopardized millions in federal funding and an overall $2 billion investment in the corridor. The bill did not receive a committee hearing in the Senate and has died. Our Legislative Team has its eyes open for any amendments that would resurrect this legislation in other bills.

SB 13 – Select Commission on Passenger Rail

With Indiana poised to receive federal dollars for infrastructure improvement, this bill aims to establish a commission to study the expansion of passenger rail in the state. While AARP Indiana supports the bill overall, we’re concerned about an amendment that was added banning the study of passenger rail in Marion County.  Indianapolis is the economic engine that powers the state, and not considering connecting it to a passenger rail network seems counterproductive.

SB 236 – Eligibility for Senior Property Tax Deduction

This bill will expand the financial eligibility of people 65 and older for a property tax deduction by increasing the adjusted gross income threshold and maximum assessed value in order to obtain a deduction on their property taxes. This will save Hoosiers money and AARP Indiana hopes to see it pass in the House.

SB 251 – Interstate Medical Licensure Compact

SB 251 eliminates red tape for physicians so that they can be licensed in multiple states by having Indiana join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. It streamlines the licensing process and makes their skills more portable. AARP Indiana believes this is helpful in expanding access to healthcare and will work for its passage in the House.

SB 284 – Telehealth Matters

The pandemic continues to prove how important telemedicine is for people of all ages. This bill will expand which healthcare providers can participate in telemedicine. This expansion is critical for Hoosiers that don’t live near their healthcare professionals or who are at risk when it comes to COVID-19.

For more updates on AARP Indiana’s advocacy efforts, check out our podcast and video series the Legislative Director Talking About Legislative Things at www.aarp.org/legislativethings and everywhere podcasts are found.